American-British Q&A

[Katana314]

Ok heres a question for t=you Americans.

Why are you so crazy for guns? and why are you so resistant to gun control reforms that might help prevent repeats of the Arizona senetor gettin shot, Virginia tech shootings, or Colombine. I realise that not everyone over there is a gun nut or a member of the NRA (I also know these guys have some serious lobbying muscle). Its just strange to see so much gun crime and such a Laize fair reaction to it

I have been to America and fired a gun, it was great fun! but still just wondered is all.

Along with what the previous guy said, it's been found that only when SOME people have a gun that you have problems. When NO ONE has a gun (Britain) you have no problems, and when EVERYONE has a gun (Southern USA countryside) you have no problems. I mean, a criminal wanting to do something violent would suddenly be in the ironsights of at least 3 other bystanders. I won't deny I'd prefer the first option, no guns, but if half of people already have guns, you might as well take it all the way to make things safer.

 

[yndsu]

You have to think of some context.

When I was a small kid, I lived with my hippy god-parents in the mountains of California. Hippy god-parents are not the type that you'd think of as being gun nuts...but they had guns. Why? Because there are wild and dangerous animals in the mountains of California. There were coyotes that tried and did kill our livestock. There were rattlesnakes, and sometimes we needed to kill squirrels for dinner.

While the UK and Europe are basically devoid of dangerous predators, great parts of the US still have bunches of dangerous animals. Heck even in an urban place like Los Angeles, in the Hollywood Hills, sometimes mountain lions come down from the hills and attack things. So there are still practical reasons to need guns in many parts of the country.

The second thing is that we are much closer to a time when guns were generally carried everywhere and necessary as a sidearm. I mean, the "Wild West" was only 120 years ago--and still carries on in different parts of the country. This country still has cowboys and the like. Nature is still not "civilized."

There is protection from large predators, there is hunting, and there is general violence.
The UK has a lot of knife crime, we have a lot of gun crime.

Also, because we are a country borne out of a revolution...out of people using guns...it is quite important to our country's genetics.

And also, we are a young country. When England was 230 years old it was quite violent as well...just that people were attacking each other with swords.

Well, actually Northern Europe like Finland, Sweden, Norway and even Estonia have a lot of wild animals. And ever year they do go out to hunt for bears, wolves and moose (for the meat) and so on. So just to say that even though there arent that many wild animals left in the southern and western European countries doesnt mean that there arent wild animals in Europe.

 

[JDKJ]

That's why I said long ago that while Virginia may not be "southern" in a geographic sense, it is in the cultural and political senses a part of the Deep South.

Fine, but I'm still confused as to what you consider just the south and southern culture then. What? Everything below New Jersey is the south?

No, a 'lil lower than that. Virginia on the East Coast, stretching south-west to include West Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, etc., and all points below and stopping at the mid-west and south-west states like Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas. It's what I imagine most people envision when you say "the south-east United States."

 

[mikev7.0]

An old accent, Cockney's been around for a while, likely you'll encounter it if you watch old english comedy like Fools and Horses.

I have a question for American's, how many of you have visited the UK?

I haven't but I've always wanted to. If I could vacation anywhere in the world (more expensive than Vegas of course) it would be a trip to the United Kingdom. Have you ever been to the States? Also can anyone tell me if they still play a show called "Ruby the Galactic Gumshoe" on BBC radio and can I get a copy of it anywhere?

 

[Rachel317]

To Americans, do you guys actually understand the stereotypical, dry, British humour? I know a lot of Americans are actually pretty smart, I just wonder if this is a stereotype with basis or not.

The gun culture...having just been to the Gun Store in Vegas and talking to the ex-military lady instructor, I'm changing my mind about guns. I can see why people would like to have a gun, for safety. My question is, then, would you guys prefer to be in a gun-happy country where anyone (that hasn't been institutionalised) can have a gun, or one like the UK where the threat of gun crime/danger is smaller (on a scaled down basis, obviously. Illegal guns still exist here)?

And my final question...does anyone actually think that Two and Half Men and Everybody Loves Raymond are funny???

 

[aashell13]

For Americans:
Do you think that British comedy is different than American comedy?
What are the most popular British comedians in America?

The only British comedy I've seen is Monty Python, and most of the American comdey I've seen is pretty southern-specific, like Blue Collar Comedy or Tim Wilson, so I'm not sure they're comparable.

 

[Sparrow]

My question to Americans? That's easy. Why you so mean, America? :'(

 

[SadakoMoose]

To Americans, do you guys actually understand the stereotypical, dry, British humour? I know a lot of Americans are actually pretty smart, I just wonder if this is a stereotype with basis or not.

The gun culture...having just been to the Gun Store in Vegas and talking to the ex-military lady instructor, I'm changing my mind about guns. I can see why people would like to have a gun, for safety. My question is, then, would you guys prefer to be in a gun-happy country where anyone (that hasn't been institutionalized) can have a gun, or one like the UK where the threat of gun crime/danger is smaller (on a scaled down basis, obviously. Illegal guns still exist here)?

And my final question...does anyone actually think that Two and Half Men and Everybody Loves Raymond are funny???

Well, it depends who's comedy.
Most Americans would get The Young Ones or Mr. Bean or Blackadder or anything by Pegg and Frost
But most wouldn't get Only Fools and Horses

Again, it's subjective, but I've always thought that Socio-economic inequality made way more of a difference in causing crime than guns did.
Britain doesn't NEED guns, but off all the people on Earth, they'd be on my trustworthiness short list. I just can't imagine an Englishman buying a gun anyway. After all, what would the neighbors think?

 

[Xman490]

It's kind of funny how so many English insults are based on region, especially on other kinds of British people. Then again, America has "redneck", "hippie", and "New York/Jersey".

 

[aashell13]

To Americans, do you guys actually understand the stereotypical, dry, British humour? I know a lot of Americans are actually pretty smart, I just wonder if this is a stereotype with basis or not.

The gun culture...having just been to the Gun Store in Vegas and talking to the ex-military lady instructor, I'm changing my mind about guns. I can see why people would like to have a gun, for safety. My question is, then, would you guys prefer to be in a gun-happy country where anyone (that hasn't been institutionalised) can have a gun, or one like the UK where the threat of gun crime/danger is smaller (on a scaled down basis, obviously. Illegal guns still exist here)?

And my final question...does anyone actually think that Two and Half Men and Everybody Loves Raymond are funny???

I much prefer the option of putting a .44 caliber hole in someone who attempts to mug me or rob my house. Especially considering that I live in a rural area where the emergency services response time averages 30-45 minutes.

Also, charlie sheen is a dick, 2+1/2 men is a pain to watch, and everybody loves raymond isn't much better.

EDIT: my friends consider my sense of humor notoriously parched, so yes, I both understand and sympathize.

 

[Black Watch]

Okay but what does "assuming I'm Scottish" mean, I kinda want an idea of what an American would think upon meeting a Scottish person.

Alright, that's a fairly simple answer, and it comes in four parts:

1) You wear a skirt. Yes, I'm aware you call it a kilt and think it very manly, but that doesn't change the fact that it's a skirt.

2) You have at least passable skill in playing the bagpipes, and you whip the thing out and play it whenever the fog rolls in, or there's a funeral nearby.

3) You make a sport out of taking 2/3 of a tree (apparently called a caber) and seeing how far you can chuck it.

4) You can kick the ass out of the entirety of our entire military armed with nothing more than a longbow, claymore and your bagpipes.

Hah cheers for that I'm always curious what people think of us. It takes a certain confidence in your sexuality to wear a skirt, women see that and they love it.

Also, the military thing is totally true, the Romans conquered a big chunk of the world. Then built two walls to keep the Scots out...

(Ok its propaganda but we are a fucking tiny country, we need every edge we can get)

A lot of Americans talk about Scotland in a more positive view than they typically do about England. I think the reason for that is Braveheart and when most of Americans see Englishmen, they see tea drinking sissies (although I cannot be grouped up with them on those views).

Also, being a Navy Brat, I look upon Scotland with pride because the US Navy was "invented" by John Paul Jones, a Scotsman. So the US Navy loves you.

 

[mikev7.0]

American question for the Brits.

Is Dr. Who, like, "mainstream" over there?

Because here, almost no one's even heard of it, and that's really a shame.

It's huge, which is odd. I thought it was pretty big over there though?

I'm a Brit who lived in Atlanta, Georgia for a while, so I know most of the things I would ask questions about. Here's the main one-how ready are you for when oil and petrol run out???


(oh, and that stuff you put in cars, y'know "gas" isn't a gas. It's a liquid, called petrol. And don't give me no crap about "gasoline" either!!)

I guess it depends on what part of the United States you're from. Where I live Dr. Who isn't exactly a cult classic. Would it be right to say that it was like the Brittish Star Trek though? I mean it's not that big here, but it is well known.

As far as for petrol I would say that we've pioneered a lot of alternative energy sources such as hydroelectric, solar, and hyrodgen reasearch among others yet these days the more connected world is finally making Science the team sport is should be and I'm sure you probably know that BP was a major patron of developing biodiesel.

So while we're on the subject how come petrol stations in the U.K. always have sacks of charcoal for sale and ours don't? (Yes this is asked because of that Eddie Izzard joke that I didn't get until he explained it. He explained the joke he just never expained why?)

 

[JDKJ]

To Americans, do you guys actually understand the stereotypical, dry, British humour? I know a lot of Americans are actually pretty smart, I just wonder if this is a stereotype with basis or not.

The gun culture...having just been to the Gun Store in Vegas and talking to the ex-military lady instructor, I'm changing my mind about guns. I can see why people would like to have a gun, for safety. My question is, then, would you guys prefer to be in a gun-happy country where anyone (that hasn't been institutionalised) can have a gun, or one like the UK where the threat of gun crime/danger is smaller (on a scaled down basis, obviously. Illegal guns still exist here)?

And my final question...does anyone actually think that Two and Half Men and Everybody Loves Raymond are funny???

I much prefer the option of putting a .44 caliber hole in someone who attempts to mug me or rob my house. Especially considering that I live in a rural area where the emergency services response time averages 30-45 minutes.

Also, charlie sheen is a dick, 2+1/2 men is a pain to watch, and everybody loves raymond isn't much better.

Don't feel bad. I live in the second largest city in the United States and it still takes the fucking cops 30 minutes to respond to a 911 call. That's why if you have money, you sign up for Brinks Home Security or some other armed response service. You'll die waiting on LAPD to show up and save your ass.

 

[Matthew Dunn]

Here is a question as a British Scottish person how would an average American (if such a thing exists which I doubt) differentiate me from an English person?

I understand the whole English accent = snarky comic relief/villain thing but that is used so commonly in conjunction with "British" it leaves me curious.

Especially since I think Scotland has quite a strong and recognisable national identity for our size.

In America, there's 3 accents from the UK: British (mostly London, occasionally cockney), Irish (ie, the main characters in the Boondock Saints), and Scottish (ie, Sean Connery). We completely disregard everything else, especially Welsh accents. They don't exist for most Americans.

If you sound like Sean Connery, we'll assume your Scottish, otherwise we'll default to English.

Let's not completely discount Tom Jones. "What's new Pussycat? Whoa-a-whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa." He was pretty big back in the day. Then he had a slight comeback. Around the same time Tony Bennett had a slight comeback.

Tom Jones is welsh

And to those asking about metal
Being an English lad myself
I find that "British metal" is almost in a way "dying"
Seriously have you seen the **** we have ? and half the time we even consider it music

So heres a list of what bands I like (maybe you do to but mainly cuz i can) and where they are from:
The Agonist : Canada
Otep: USA
Deathstars (more electronic metal but rather good) : Sweden, Stockholm
Guano Apes: Germany
Lordi (won the 2006 Eruovision): Finland
Bring me the Horizon:Sheffield, England
Arch Enemy: Sweden
Metalica (if you haven't heard of these, you haven't lived): USA
Cradle of Filth: England
Iron Maiden: England (old but still amazing)
Nightwish:Finland
Drowning Pool: Texas (We will let the bodies hit the floor)
Thats all i can think about

What bands can you think of over there in the USA ?

 

[thylasos]

It's kind of funny how so many English insults are based on region, especially on other kinds of British people. Then again, America has "redneck", "hippie", and "New York/Jersey".

We've had more time to develop it... I mean, people can differentiate accents between various towns in Yorkshire, and that's 11,903 km2, as opposed to New York State at 128,403 km2, wherein it's (relatively) homogenous.

 

[JDKJ]

Here is a question as a British Scottish person how would an average American (if such a thing exists which I doubt) differentiate me from an English person?

I understand the whole English accent = snarky comic relief/villain thing but that is used so commonly in conjunction with "British" it leaves me curious.

Especially since I think Scotland has quite a strong and recognisable national identity for our size.

In America, there's 3 accents from the UK: British (mostly London, occasionally cockney), Irish (ie, the main characters in the Boondock Saints), and Scottish (ie, Sean Connery). We completely disregard everything else, especially Welsh accents. They don't exist for most Americans.

If you sound like Sean Connery, we'll assume your Scottish, otherwise we'll default to English.

Let's not completely discount Tom Jones. "What's new Pussycat? Whoa-a-whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa." He was pretty big back in the day. Then he had a slight comeback. Around the same time Tony Bennett had a slight comeback.

Tom Jones is welsh

And to those asking about metal
Being an English lad myself
I find that "British metal" is almost in a way "dying"
Seriously have you seen the **** we have ? and half the time we even consider it music

So heres a list of what bands I like (maybe you do to but mainly cuz i can) and where they are from:
The Agonist : Canada
Otep: USA
Deathstars (more electronic metal but rather good) : Sweden, Stockholm
Guano Apes: Germany
Lordi (won the 2006 Eruovision): Finland
Bring me the Horizon:Sheffield, England
Arch Enemy: Sweden
Metalica (if you haven't heard of these, you haven't lived): USA
Cradle of Filth: England
Iron Maiden: England (old but still amazing)
Nightwish:Finland
Drowning Pool: Texas (We will let the bodies hit the floor)
Thats all i can think about

What bands can you think of over there in the USA ?

Yes, I was aware that Tom Jones is Welsh. That's why I mentioned him in response to "[Americans] completely disregard everything else, especially Welsh accents." Tom and his Welsh accent actually enjoyed quite a bit of popularity in the States. Twice. Back in the late-1960s and again in the early-1990s when lounge music enjoyed a revival.

 

[The Long Road]

To Americans, do you guys actually understand the stereotypical, dry, British humour? I know a lot of Americans are actually pretty smart, I just wonder if this is a stereotype with basis or not.

The gun culture...having just been to the Gun Store in Vegas and talking to the ex-military lady instructor, I'm changing my mind about guns. I can see why people would like to have a gun, for safety. My question is, then, would you guys prefer to be in a gun-happy country where anyone (that hasn't been institutionalised) can have a gun, or one like the UK where the threat of gun crime/danger is smaller (on a scaled down basis, obviously. Illegal guns still exist here)?

And my final question...does anyone actually think that Two and Half Men and Everybody Loves Raymond are funny???

First: I think British humor is the superior form of humor. However, the typical American style of humor is loud, bombastic, and somewhat of a spectacle. When Americans think 'humor', that's what we automatically visualize. Consequently, when the more subtle British humor is presented, most people miss it because they don't know what to look for.

Second: To survive the inevitable zombie apocalypse The truth is that most people are very responsible with firearms, and the people who own firearms understand that. You need to be phenomenally stupid to do something crazy with guns here, with the exception of some really bad neighborhoods in bad parts of major cities, which is where the vast, vast majority of shooting crimes either take place or originate. It's also clear that you don't quite understand the kind of motivation it takes to pull the trigger against a fellow human being. We're hard wired to not want to destroy each other, and that's a powerful force. It takes some serious desensitization or an adrenaline-infused struggle for life to get over that.

One of the biggest influences is the prevalence of hunting in the US. Many people who live outside of urbanized areas hunt at least one kind of quarry, many hunt several. While some areas can be hunted with bows, a lot of the country is covered with vast plains and deserts that require rifles to actually hit an animal. Bird hunting requires a shotgun, so if someone hunts, say, geese and white-tailed deer, that often requires a shotgun and a rifle.

Another big influence is the individualism in American culture. A gun, even a little handgun, gives you the power to keep other people from screwing with you or your property. Guns give an individual power. I personally own a .30-06 for hunting deer, but my AR-15 is primarily for home defense. There isn't a thief on earth who wouldn't shit himself at the sight of a muscular six foot tall man with an assault rifle. More likely than not, I wouldn't even have to fire a shot, which is the preferred outcome. Not only that, but the simple fact that 90 million people own firearms is a bit of a stumbling block for politicians with their sights set on civil liberties.

Third: I liked Two and a Half Men, but it definitely started getting repetitive and a bit chafing after a couple years of watching. And I never watched much Everybody Loves Raymond. But the ratings data is out there, go look it up. They're pretty successful shows. See my earlier comments on American humor.

 

[Yokai]

My question to Americans? That's easy. Why you so mean, America? :'(

Because we've only been a superpower for maybe eighty years, and we're still power-mad, I guess. This seems to be the norm. Look at China, they've only had worldwide influence for about half a century, and their government is currently in the process of banning everything. America waves their metaphorical dick around by putting troops in as many countries as possible. Meanwhile, Britain and France have had comfortable positions at the center of the world stage for several centuries, and have calmed down a bit. That's my theory, anyway, as to why we so mean.

 

[mikev7.0]

To Americans, do you guys actually understand the stereotypical, dry, British humour? I know a lot of Americans are actually pretty smart, I just wonder if this is a stereotype with basis or not.

The gun culture...having just been to the Gun Store in Vegas and talking to the ex-military lady instructor, I'm changing my mind about guns. I can see why people would like to have a gun, for safety. My question is, then, would you guys prefer to be in a gun-happy country where anyone (that hasn't been institutionalised) can have a gun, or one like the UK where the threat of gun crime/danger is smaller (on a scaled down basis, obviously. Illegal guns still exist here)?

And my final question...does anyone actually think that Two and Half Men and Everybody Loves Raymond are funny???

To be honest I'm not sure if I do or not. Some Monty Python has me on the floor, some grosses me out. It's like Brittish South Park. !! Okay in retrospect I promise to never combine those words again but it's confusing. I think Eddie Izzard is hilarious, I don't really get Kids In the Hall. Some I like some I don't, but I don't really know what is meant by "dry"

As for the guns I wish our laws about them at least made more sense but I love my country as I'm sure do you, the good and the bad.

Well someone thinks Raymond and Two and Half Men are funny because they sure get talked about a lot. Me? No god no. I avoid TV unless I'm playing a game or watching something non fictional.

 

[Sparrow]

My question to Americans? That's easy. Why you so mean, America? :'(

Because we've only been a superpower for maybe eighty years, and we're still power-mad, I guess. This seems to be the norm. Look at China, they've only had worldwide influence for about half a century, and their government is currently in the process of banning everything. America waves their metaphorical dick around by putting troops in as many countries as possible. Meanwhile, Britain and France have had comfortable positions at the center of the world stage for several centuries, and have calmed down a bit. That's my theory, anyway, as to why we so mean.

I was actually kidding, but I do find myself agreeing with pretty much everything you've said. Especialyl the bit about Britain and France taking a time-out from their past dickery.